Official Blog of Cartan Tours Inc.From the Winter Games to the World Cup, shared stories and experiences of the Cartan Tours family.2010-08-24T21:41:41Zhttp://www.travelblogcartantours.com/?feed=atomWordPressSarah Joyhttp://www.cartan.comhttp://www.travelblogcartantours.com/?p=15022010-08-24T21:41:41Z2010-08-24T21:41:37Z

]]>0Sarah Joyhttp://www.cartan.comhttp://www.travelblogcartantours.com/?p=14492010-04-13T19:02:27Z2010-04-13T18:48:59ZAre you interested in having input into Cartan Tours Summer Games programs? We’re putting the travel plans in your hands for 2012.

Our Los Angeles office is in the middle of building our London Travel Programs –which has us all very excited–and our planning department is having a lot of discussions of the different types of features these should have. We know that London is already a world-wide tourist destination so we want to make sure our 2012 programs opens up new opportunities to all.

Because of our long-time relationships with Games clients, we are aware of many of our travellers’ habits and preferences. We always appreciate some constructive criticism. For example, we received the following guidance from our Vancouver clients when asked:

What can Cartan Tours do to improve our programs?

Longer length of program stay in order to view more events without a lot of increase expense

Offer longer individual wavelengths and continue to provide the service as effectively as you do now

Keep price down

We’ll need to arrive earlier or depart later than the package.

We might be able to use some advice on a homestay near London (in addition to staying at your hotel during the 5 day wave).

PLAN FOR EXTENSIVE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

If you are thinking about travel packages to London in 2012, we would love to hear from YOU as well - Click here to take survey on SurveyMonkey.

]]>0Sarah Joyhttp://www.cartan.comhttp://www.travelblogcartantours.com/?p=14432010-04-13T19:04:16Z2010-04-12T23:56:51ZThe countdown to South Africa continues as the final design of the official 2010 FIFA World Cup ticket was unveiled on April 9 at a press conference in Soweto, South Africa.

According to FIFA’s website, a total of 2.2 million tickets have been sold for the tournament. Of these tickets, 925 437 have been obtained by South Africans, 118,945 by the United States of America, 67,654 by the United Kingdom, 32, 269 by Germany, 29, 657 by Australia and 16,001 by Canada.

For those anticipating tickets, Pretoria News gave a detailed overview of exactly what what you will find on each ticket:

Venue – The name of the stadium where the match is being played and the name of the city.

Match Number – indicating for which match the ticket has been bought for.

Match Date – indicating the date on which the match will be played.

Seat Category and location – this indicates the gate to be used as an entrance, the tier block, row and seat number.

Kick Off Time – the time the match is set down to begin.

Price (ZAR or USD).

Match Fixture – indicates which teams are playing.

Name of Ticket Applicant – the name of the person attending the match.

]]>1Sarah Joyhttp://www.cartan.comhttp://www.travelblogcartantours.com/?p=13352010-04-13T19:02:44Z2010-03-11T18:07:26ZIn our Vancouver Feedback Surveys, many travelers asked for the opportunity to connect with Cartan Tours program managers via facebook and twitter.

Your satisfaction is our priority – so we took this request to heart immediately for our next event. With great excitement, we just launched our brand new facebook group dedicated to our 2010 FIFA World Cup Travelers. While I’m the only one in the group right now – our goal is to make sure every traveler is connected to the Cartan Tours World Cup family before, during and after the event. So if you’re a Facebook user heading to South Africa with Cartan Tours this summer, just click on the fan box below to join our community.

]]>1Sarah Joyhttp://www.cartan.comhttp://www.travelblogcartantours.com/?p=13162010-04-13T19:04:24Z2010-03-05T18:29:15ZWith the 100 day countdown in place, we are excited to announce a brand-new travel package for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in July.

This World Cup travel program is specifically tailored for Cartan Tours travelers looking to experience both Cape Town and Johannesburg during the semi-finals and finals.

We’ll spend four nights in Cape Town, then we head to Johannesburg for the remaining three nights.

Call 1-800-584-2010 or contact us at our main website for details. We look forward to helping you experience the best of the World Cup in South Africa.

]]>0Sarah Joyhttp://www.cartan.comhttp://www.travelblogcartantours.com/?p=13072010-04-13T19:02:56Z2010-03-03T22:58:27Z
When I first started working at Cartan Tours, a co-worker spoke of measuring a program’s success by the “Games Afterglow” of departing clients.

Thankfully, the airport atmosphere was tribute to the happiness of Vancouver Games travelers.

A record-breaking 39,000 departed a day after Vancouver’s closing ceremony. Despite the suggested five-hour wait time, people continued the celebration all the way to the plane, enjoying athlete sightings, medalist photo ops and live musical entertainment.

Airport spokesperson Rebecca Catley said the Vancouver Airport Authority had been planning for the day for several years.

“We knew that the day after the closing ceremonies would be busy because we spoke to other Olympic airports,” she said. “I’m sorry we haven’t been able to oblige (the media’s expectation of chaos) but I’ve been very happy. We had a good plan, we were confident with our plan, but you never know. Everybody is in a great mood.”

The spirit was contagious. As the communications director for Cartan Tours, I was lucky enough to have the chance to interview a few members of the Cartan Games Family in Vancouver.

Downtown Vancouver

From local staff, to senior executives to first-time Games travelers, I soon realized that I was not the only one rooting for Canada this February. The universal spirt of happiness and praise for Vancouver’s organizing committee was overwhelming. We all wanted Canada’s Games to succeed, especially in light of the tragedies they faced early on. I’ll even admit to secretly rooting for their hockey team on Sunday – just because I thought the maple-leaf-covered fans that packed the streets of Granville were delightful.

“Tens of thousands of people poured into downtown streets Sunday, as they had each night of the Olympics, to celebrate and cheer not only Canada’s hockey win but merely being Canadian and part of these Games.

There were seniors, babies in strollers, kids holding glow-sticks and middle-aged men and women waving flags tied to hockey sticks. And at the intersection of Smithe and Howe, at 9:30 p.m., there was a full-on street hockey game, complete with nets.

Five hundred people stood and watched and cheered every goal, no matter which team scored.”

Officially sanctioned by FIFA, Cartan Tours is offering budget-conscious US travelers all-inclusive travel packages to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa for less than $5,000.

ESPN Soccernet’s recent article was one of many featuring US fans priced out of a 2010 World Cup trip. With 3-star accommodations and coordinated game day transportation, Cartan’s new “Sandton Suites Packages” are a great deal for travel budgets falling in the $4,000-5,000 range.

“We started looking for flights, and the cheapest we can find right now is $2,800, and the transfer between Cape Town and Johannesburg is an additional $500,” Schwartz said. “We’d all budgeted $5,000 to $6,000, and we figured that would be able to get us a safari.”

“We looked up how much it would cost us and it would be seven to 10 grand right now,” Fried added. “When we looked it up before we got the tickets it was going to be $4,000 or $5,000. I knew prices were going to jump, but I didn’t realize by how much.”

Diana Imhoff, Cartan’s VP of Business Development recently appeared on radio talk show, World Football daily to promote the Sandton Suites prices. (A video clip from the interview is below.)

As Diana details in the interview, Cartan’s Sandton Suites packages range from $4,499 to $4,999, including airfare, tickets, accommodations and on-site concierge services.

Cartan Tours qualified as a Participating Tour Operator appointed by MATCH Services to distribute Tickets and Travel Programs for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in the United States. What does that mean to our travelers? We’ve passed the rigorous selection criteria created by the 2010 FIFA World Cup Tour Operator Program to implement safe and effective travel to South Africa. Each and every one of our travel packages is authentic and FIFA-sanctioned.

Customer Service

From our Los Angeles offices to the South Africa stadiums, we’re ready to ensure a fun, safe trip from start to finish. As soon as you step off of the plane, our local staff will be at your service to provide assistance with airport navigation, luggage handling, transportation, restaurant reservations, local sightseeing and personal requests.

Pricing

As a Participating Tour operator, we are given priority by the airlines to block seats for the FIFA World Cup™ and we are confident we can get you the best possible options for your air travel. We’ve also secured rooms in a variety of hotels throughout Johannesburg and Capetown, allowing us to help our guest with match-day travel needs within South Africa.

Local Expertise

Our World Cup program directors have spent the past year carefully investigating accommodations, transportation, and locations in South Africa to develop travel packages for varying needs, budgets and desires. This year’s World Cup is undoubtedly a long-haul destination, and many of our clients are grateful to have an expert take them through the travel process. Our Los Angeles office is open M-F, 9-5pm and we would be more than happy to answer any questions. Feel free to call us at anytime or shoot us a question directly on the website.

Traveling to a foreign country may seem complicated, but we’re happy to do all of the hard work for you. For more information please contact us today.

]]>0Sarah Joyhttp://www.cartan.comhttp://www.travelblogcartantours.com/?p=9762010-04-13T18:57:29Z2010-01-11T22:07:34ZWicked Good Travel Tips just released a new article featuring Cartan Tours’ latest travel packages to Vancouver in February.

Cartan Tours’ discounts range in dates from February 11 – 26 which includes opening day on February 12th. The games will take place both in the city of Vancouver and in the famed ski resort of Whistler, just to the north.

FIFA organizers are currently preparing to transform “Africa’s Richest Square Mile” into one massive World Cup party.

Home to a prestigious Central Business District, the Johannesburg’s Stock Exchange, and famous Sandton City mall, the cosmopolitan energy of Sandton has always been a favorite destination for business and leisure travelers alike. In November FIFA officials chose Sandton’s Innes Free Park as an official host for the 2010 FIFA Fan Fest.

The “Fan Fest” concept was put into action for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. It turned out to be a huge success, with more than 18 million cheering fans gathered at the 12 official events.

The excitement is building as organizers prepare for an even bigger 2010 event. At a recent press conference, Danny Jordaan, CEO of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa explained “We have always wanted the 2010 FIFA World Cup to touch the lives of as many South Africans as possible. The FIFA Fan Fest will provide an opportunity for millions of our people to watch the matches in a festival environment for free and will also provide an opportunity for small businesses and our musical talents to benefit from this event,” he explained.

As a participating tour operator appointed to distribute tickets for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Cartan Tours invites you to join us for the trip of a lifetime this June. Our 2010 World Cup travel packages at the Don Santon Suites start at just $1,636 for 5 nights. For more information call our Los Angeles office 9-5 MF 800.584.2010